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How Morocco Built The World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Farm

How Morocco Built The World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Farm

It’s not just on the track that Morocco is aiming to become a world leader in renewable energy.As well as a host nation of a Formula ePrix, the country is also home to the world’s largest concentrated solar farm.

Morocco
Photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash

Built on an area of more than 3,000 hectares in area – the size of 3,500 football fields — the Noor-Ouarzazate complex, produces enough electricity to power a city the size of Prague, or twice the size of Marrakesh.Situated at the gateway to the Sahara Desert, the whole complex provides 580 megawatts — saving the planet from over 760,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

From CNN. By Nicki Shields and James Masters.

Morocco has one of most ambitious energy targets in the world. The goal is for 42% of its power to come from renewable sources by 2020.The country is well on track to hit its target too with 35% of its energy is already renewable thanks to sites such as Noor Ouarzazate.Its 243 meter tower, the tallest in Africa, houses molten salt which is melted to create energy.

Unlike conventional solar panels which deliver energy direct to the grid, curved mirrors concentrate radiation to heat tubes of fluid which are pumped to a power unit. The unit holds the energy for use at a later time — specifically at night when demand is greater.

Read more at CNN.